In a number of patients, certain body functions have to be carried out or supported by means of technical devices temporarily or permanently disposed to that end (“implanted”) in the patient's body.
Quite frequently, implants are delivered to the implantation site within the body by means of a catheter. This is particularly true for implants that are implanted within the body vessel system including the heart itself.
In such cases, the implant is being crimped onto the catheter and released from the latter at the implantation site.
Obviously, since upon crimping remarkable mechanical forces are applied on the implant and also on certain structures implanted together with and fixed to the implant, the implant design has some influence on the result of the crimping process.
Therefore, it is one object of the present invention to provide an additional implant design or structure. According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for crimping an implant on a delivery implement, e.g. a catheter, is to be provided. According to a further aspect, a catheter or a portion thereof comprising an implant crimped thereon is to be provided.
The object of the invention is solved by means of an implant.